As an Interior Design Business Coach, I firmly believe that your newsletter is the foundation of your loyalty program. When people are a fit for the way you want to serve in the world and they subscribe to an interior designer’s list, they’re giving you permission to keep them interested. They’re also more likely to collaborate with you or buy something later on.

Play The Long Game

Unlike your Instagram stories, email doesn’t need to happen #IRT (in real time). Email allows you to make unlimited, committed contact with your subscribers over time. That means you are more likely to turn them into a client when they are ready to buy. It’s one of the most important rules of sales. I’ve been writing my own newsletter since 2011. It makes me especially pleased when someone who has been on my list since “olden times” decides to finally work together after reading me for “years”.

Lately, I’ve been on the receiving end of emails fired out by designers who want to let their subscribers know that they’ve been published, and that’s pretty much it. They haven’t been in regular communication. They don’t address their reader by name and the email is nothing but a press.png and a link.

Don’t do that.

What does your reader get out of that?

The message of that kind of communication feels very: me, me, me.

I know. I know. That wasn’t your intention but if you’re firing off random emails in that way, you’re probably not intentional with your communication at all.

Press Better

Getting press is an important part of a strategic visibility plan but it doesn’t make you a better designer. If you choose to communicate that way, it won’t deepen your relationship with the people you’re here to serve. Newsletters can be confusing yes, but what you say only matters if you know who you’re talking to and if you’ve spent quality time figuring out what to say.

Remember, a loyalty program allows you to build an audience. If you’ve ever performed in theatre, or have been part of the audience giving a standing ovation at a Broadway show, you know that the audience is not only there to listen, it’s there to be listened to. Communication, especially the unspoken and energetic kind, goes both ways. Even, and especially, when they’ve stopped connecting with you.

I know. I know. You’re annoyed by all those newsletters in your inbox. Me too.

Permission Is Key

The caveat is, I’m annoyed by the people who add me without my permission; spam me with what they’re selling incessantly; or who don’t have a clue about who is on the other end of what they write.

On the other end of the spectrum are the newsletters that I can’t wait for. Those emails I save for the times when I’m less busy because I like what they have to say. Because they inspire me. Because they teach me something I don’t know. Because they’re beautiful to look at. Or, because they’ve made an offer I can’t refuse.
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If you write a newsletter like that, you will always have people to listen to.

As an Interior Design Business Coach, I can help you create one of those.